Jimmy Garrison Music

I don't actually own this particular compilation, however, since I own nearly every recording represented on these discs...I think I'm qualified to comment. This is a wonderful representation of the high quality of work that DRG Records does.
The previous review is way off the mark. This is definitely not a waste of time or money. This is 25 years of preserving Broadway shows, Off-Broadway shows, studio recordings (mostly from the city center concerts), etc. So what if they "aren't as good as the original", DRG is preserving many recordings and artists that other mainstream labels don't or won't. You have wonderful recordings from Brian Stokes Mitchell, Nathan Lane, Debbie Gravitte, Tyne Daly, Anthony Perkins, Joanna Gleason, Marin Mazzie, Carol Burnett, Heather Headley, Patti LuPone, Barbara Cook, etc., and many of these are from Original Cast Recordings just as they appeared on Broadway. This is an excellent sampler of the work going on at DRG. No...I'm not an employee...just an avid listener and collector of theatre recordings.

There's a reason you've probably never heard of most of the songs and shows on this album, not to mention most of the artists. This is a second-rate collection of second-rate numbers performed by mostly second-rate artists. In the case of the shows that were revivals, the performances on the original cast recordings were better. Don't waste your money.

Review by Scott Yanow
The follow-up to clarinetist Tony Scott's Golden Moments (both of which were released for the first time on Muse albums of the mid-1980s) uses the same group (a quartet with pianist Bill Evans, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Pete LaRoca) and almost reaches the same heights. Scott was one of the finest clarinetists of the late 1950s before deciding to become a sketchily documented world traveler. This live date has lengthy versions of "Stella By Starlight," "I'll Remember April," "A Night In Tunisia" and the blues "Garrison's Raiders." The boppish music hints at future developments and both this album and Golden Moments (which gets the edge) are highly recommended.

illumination is one of my favorite recordings of elvin. the instrumentation is also very interresting, balancing the subtle tones of a clarinet with a sax. (also, mccoy tyner is awesome.) i love aboriginie dance in scotland. elvin seems to flow from one bar to the next. half and half is another favorite. overall, an outstanding album.

I'm not too keen on 60's avant guard jazz, I prefer 50's jazz much more, however this album is a lot of fun from Jones and Garrison larking about on the cover through the linear notes to the music itself and its possible that the title was also a jab at other artists who took themselves too seriously. The album benefits from having an excellent rhythm section that is already a band so the tunes are pacy and keep their shape and the three additional wind instrument players know how to play avant guard without making it sound like a strangled cat. Like another reviewer has commented its a pity this combo didn't make any more records.

I'm tempted to downgrade this a half-star simply because Impulse for some reason saw fit to release it in its original LP configuration, which totaled a mere 32 minutes. Given that the vast majority of CD releases today feature alternate takes and previously unreleased material, it seems "Illumination" would be a prime candidate for some beefing up. No such luck.

The fact is you feel the brevity of the CD keenly because what's here is so good, and I can't downgrade Jones and Garrison for the fact there isn't more of it. This is a smoking contemporary jazz set that brings together three-quarters of John Coltrane's famous quartet, backed by three superb and all-too-seldom-heard hornmen: Prince Lasha, Charles Davis, and Sonny Simmons.

Faint-of-heart hornmen have never needed to apply to play in front of Jones, and these three show they are up to the task of barging through the spirited challenge the drummer lays down. Lasha rips through the opener, "Nuttin' Out Jones," hanging in superbly when McCoy Tyner decides, as he often did when playing with Coltrane, to lay out and let the horn take on playing with Jones and Garrison alone.

Davis has a great baritone solo on "Half and Half," and the vastly underrated Sonny Simmons makes an eloquent, fiery statement on "Gettin' On Way." Along the way we get a dose of lyricism in "Oriental Flower," and an odd twist and musical union of the type Jones is fond of throwing in, with "Aborigine Dance in Scotland."

So what the heck: after the 32 minutes are over, you'll simply play the CD over again, and enjoy it just as much as you did the first time.

Illumination is basically the legendary John Coltrane Quartet, with three reed players standing in for Coltrane himself... which seems just about right! Here we have drummer Elvin Jones and bass player Jimmy Garrison utilizing an oportunity as leaders instead of their traditional sideman role. And, for Garrison, this would be his only instance playing this card. The tone is relaxed and the reed soloists (Prince Lasha on clarinet and flute, Sonny Simmons on alto sax and English horn, and Charles Davis on baritone sax) provide an interesting alternative to the bands usual boss. And of course that rhythm section (Elvin, Jimmy & McCoy) is just bad. You don't have to say nothin' about that. They just bad. Lastly, everyone but Elvin Jones throws in an original tune for good measure which makes the album even more unique. They didn't just play standards or other peoples songs. It's a shame that this group didn't exist more outside a few studio sessions...

illumination is one of my favorite recordings of elvin. the instrumentation is also very interresting, balancing the subtle tones of a clarinet with a sax. (also, mccoy tyner is awesome.) i love aboriginie dance in scotland. elvin seems to flow from one bar to the next. half and half is another favorite. overall, an outstanding album.

I'm not too keen on 60's avant guard jazz, I prefer 50's jazz much more, however this album is a lot of fun from Jones and Garrison larking about on the cover through the linear notes to the music itself and its possible that the title was also a jab at other artists who took themselves too seriously. The album benefits from having an excellent rhythm section that is already a band so the tunes are pacy and keep their shape and the three additional wind instrument players know how to play avant guard without making it sound like a strangled cat. Like another reviewer has commented its a pity this combo didn't make any more records.

I'm tempted to downgrade this a half-star simply because Impulse for some reason saw fit to release it in its original LP configuration, which totaled a mere 32 minutes. Given that the vast majority of CD releases today feature alternate takes and previously unreleased material, it seems "Illumination" would be a prime candidate for some beefing up. No such luck.

The fact is you feel the brevity of the CD keenly because what's here is so good, and I can't downgrade Jones and Garrison for the fact there isn't more of it. This is a smoking contemporary jazz set that brings together three-quarters of John Coltrane's famous quartet, backed by three superb and all-too-seldom-heard hornmen: Prince Lasha, Charles Davis, and Sonny Simmons.

Faint-of-heart hornmen have never needed to apply to play in front of Jones, and these three show they are up to the task of barging through the spirited challenge the drummer lays down. Lasha rips through the opener, "Nuttin' Out Jones," hanging in superbly when McCoy Tyner decides, as he often did when playing with Coltrane, to lay out and let the horn take on playing with Jones and Garrison alone.

Davis has a great baritone solo on "Half and Half," and the vastly underrated Sonny Simmons makes an eloquent, fiery statement on "Gettin' On Way." Along the way we get a dose of lyricism in "Oriental Flower," and an odd twist and musical union of the type Jones is fond of throwing in, with "Aborigine Dance in Scotland."

So what the heck: after the 32 minutes are over, you'll simply play the CD over again, and enjoy it just as much as you did the first time.

Illumination is basically the legendary John Coltrane Quartet, with three reed players standing in for Coltrane himself... which seems just about right! Here we have drummer Elvin Jones and bass player Jimmy Garrison utilizing an oportunity as leaders instead of their traditional sideman role. And, for Garrison, this would be his only instance playing this card. The tone is relaxed and the reed soloists (Prince Lasha on clarinet and flute, Sonny Simmons on alto sax and English horn, and Charles Davis on baritone sax) provide an interesting alternative to the bands usual boss. And of course that rhythm section (Elvin, Jimmy & McCoy) is just bad. You don't have to say nothin' about that. They just bad. Lastly, everyone but Elvin Jones throws in an original tune for good measure which makes the album even more unique. They didn't just play standards or other peoples songs. It's a shame that this group didn't exist more outside a few studio sessions...

Jackie McLean quartet dates are special. Ever heard "Let Freedom Ring" or "Right Now!"? How about that date with Sonny Clark, "Tippin' the Scales"? Well, this date is pretty special too. 7 standards done with Sugar Hill style. Strictly for the true Blue Note heads.

This album tends to be overlooked, but it features refreshingly inventive and robust solos. There is no key wiggling or scale running here. And it really swings.

Very impressive, Jackie demostrates his ability to keep the hard bop tradition while implementing some funk. His tone is unmistakable. A ture student of the BeBop, and Cool Jazz school, Jackie proves that his place on The Jazz Board of directors is valid.

This Jackie McLean album is a truly swinging affair. There's not a ballad in the bunch. As Alfred Lion says in the liner notes, "They came, swung and they split, so we called the album 'Swing, Swang, Swingin'." Touche Al, say no more! Well, how about two more points of information. First, Jackie's quartet for this recording is Walter Bishop on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Second, this is a limited edition so don't wait too long to buy it, or "Swing, Swang" will go swinging off.

Here we have one of those really relaxed recording sessions with four great guys who just love to play together. Things start off with "What's New", taken here at a surprising medium tempo rather than the usual ballad time. One time, when I heard Jackie McLean in person, he actually played that tune in a similar way, so this CD brings back to me some very beautiful memories. Jackie McLean always keeps his very personal and unique style, whether he is playing more familiar material like on this album,or is taking some "steps beyond". Especially after listening to the more advanced material from his famous albums of the sixties, it's really relaxing to have him play standards like "I Remember You" or "I'd Take Romance", and I particularly like his version on Golson's "Stablemates", which is a very good example of pure McLean on that tune with it's beautiful chord progressions. About the pianist on that date, Walter Bishop, just let me say that he is beautiful. Like on another great McLean-Album, "Capuchin Swing", he gets enough space to really stretch out. He was a Bud Powell disciple without merely copying Bud, very tasteful indeed.